Amusement apparatus.



R. TOSSELL & J. RUEL.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

' APPLICATION FILED AUG.12, 190B.

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R. TOSSELL & J. RUEL.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 12, 19oa.

Patented Apr. 20, 1909. f

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Patented Apr. 20, 1909.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

R. TOSSELL-& J. RUEL.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 12, 1908.

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RICHARD 'IOSSELL AND JOHN RUEL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

. AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

Application filed. August '12,

To all whom it may concern: 7 l I Be it known that we, RIcHARD TossELL and JOHN. RUEL, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in thecounty of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amusement Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. I This invention relates toimprovements in an amusement; apparatus of that type or class in which an inclined chute or way. is employed, over which a vehicle-under control of a rider or operator is ada ted to travel and caused to turn a somersau t, and it consists in certain peculiarities of the construction, novel arrangement and operation of the various arts thereof as will be hereinafter more ful yset forth and specifically claimed. The principal object of-our invention is to provide an apparatus of the above-named general character, which shall be simple and inexpensive in construction, strong, durable, efficient, safe and automatic in certain steps of its operation, and of suchanature as to cause a vehicle of any suitable kind, but preferably, a bicycle or automobile, to arise therefrom and in its progress to turn a backward somersault from the lower portion of the chute or way, and to alight on a landing latform portion of the way, which is spaced from the main track or way and thus roviding means for performing a hazardous and highly sensational act with compara tive safety to the rider or operator. Another object of the inventionis to provide means for conducting the vehiclein the proper direction in its progress and under the momentum acquired down the inclined way to cause it, or assist the operator in causing it toturn a backward somersault across the gap or chasm formed betweenthe lower end of the main track or way and the landing platform portion thereof.

A further object is to providemeans wherewill have a yielding action, so as to overcome the rebound of the vehicle when it alights thereon.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means for preventing-the rebound of the movable section ortrap located at the lower portion of the mainway or track and to prevent injury tocertain parts of the mechanism. p

.Numerous other objects and advantages Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 20, 1909.

1908. Serial No. 448,08.

of our invention will be disclosed in the subjomed description and explanation.

in order to enable others skilled in the art .to which our invention pertains to make and showing the partsin the positions they will occupy when ready for the passage of the vehicle thereover and in order to cause it to turn a backward somersault and in order to provide the yielding platform portion for it to alight upon. Fig. Zis an enlarged view in side elevation of the lower portion of the main way or chute showing the movable section and operating parts therefor by continuous lines in their normal positions, or the positions they will assume when ready for the vehicle to pass thereover. Fig. 3 is an end view of a portion of the supporting frame and of the parts shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the front portion of the supporting frame for the movable section of the way or chute. Fig. 5 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation ofthe parts shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an enlarged view in side elevation of the front or lower portion of the main way or chute, showing by dotted lines the normal positions of the parts as well as the positions thereof when in the act of releasing the trap or movable section by reason of the passage of a vehicle, such as a bicycle thereover and by continuous lines the positions the parts may assume after the movable section 01' trap has, been released and lowered,

and Fig.'7 is an enlarged view in side elevation and partly in section of a portion of the landing platform and yielding support therefor.

Like numerals of reference refer to corresponding. parts throughout the different views of the drawings. p t

The reference numeral 10 designates a suitable frame-work on which is mounted the main portion of an inclined way or chute 11 which may be made of any suitable size and material and preferably has at its upper portion two spaced apart brackets or small platforms 12, on which the rider of a bicycle may stand while preparing to mount the samebefore starting it on its descent down the inclined way. The lower portion of the way or chute is supported on the front por- IOU tion of the frame-work 10 and is curved up- Located directly in front of the forward I part of the frame-work 10 are two uprights 14, which are preferably secured to the front part of the frame-work 10 by means of braces 15 and floor '16 or other suitable connection which extends longitudinally and horizontally of the frame-work 10 and at the lower portion thereof. As shown the uprights 1 1 are shorter than the front uprights of the framework 10 and that each has pivotally secured to its upper portion an upright member 17 each of which is provided at its upper end with a toothed or segmental rack 18 to mesh with similar racks 19 on the lower members 20 of two bell-crank-lexrers 21, the upper members 22 of which are transversely united at their free ends by means of a bar 23 as is clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings.

, Hinged at its rear portion to the front part of the chute or way 11 is a transversely extended leaf or door 24 which is preferably curved on an arc to correspond with the arc of the lower portion 18 of the chute. The leaf or door 24 has on its front lower portion at about the middle thereof a downward extension 25 which projects between two rearwardly extending arms 26 secured in parallelism with one another on the lower surface of the trap or movable section 27 which as well as said arms are upwardly and forwardly curved as shown, and said arms 26 which form a part of the trap or movable section 27 are pivotally secured at their rear ends to the front portion of the upper part of the framework 10 and are spaced so as to occupy positions near the side edges of the trap 27 or movable section.

Pivotally secured at its free end to the upper portion of the front part of the framework 10 is a forwardly extending bar 28 which rojects directly under the extension 25 on tie leaf or door 24 and normally supports the same in about the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. Transversely journaled on the arms or ribs 26 near their front ends is a shaft 29 on the ends of which are rotatably mounted the bell-cranklevers 21, which are transversely united by means of the bar 23 as before stated.

Secured on the shaft 29 at about its middle is a collar 30 which has an upwardly extending lug 31 to which is pivotally secured at one of its ends an arm 32, which has its other end provided with a curved portion 33 to engage the front end of the lever 28 as will be clearly understood by reference to Figs. 2 and 5 of the drawings. The arm 32 is pressed by a spring 34 which is secured at one of its ends to the collar30 and has its other end in engagement with the arm 32 which arm is provided at about its middle with a depending projection 35 for the purpose to be presently explained.

Mounted on the shaft 29 and extending rearwardly and downwardly therefrom are two arms 86 which. are located on each side of the collar 30 and have their lower ends connected by a transverse portion or roller 37, which is normally located directly under the projection 35 on the arm 32. Depending from about the middle of the bar 23 and ex tending forwardly beneath the shaft 29 and arms 06 thereon is a bracket which consist s of two parallel members 38, which are united at their free ends by means of a cross-piece 39 which has at each of its ends an eye to cnone end of springs 10, the other ends of which are connected to a rope or cable 4], which is equipped with a suitable block and tackle 42 and may have one of its ends scoured to cleat 43 on the frame-work.

Pivotally secured to each of the members 38 near their lower ends is a link 44 which have pivotally secured thereto a hooked trigger 45 to engage the roller or portion 37 on the arms 36 so as to hold the movable section 27 in its normal position as shown in Figs. 1 and of the drawings.

Located directly in front of the lower portion of the main chute or way 11 and at a suitable distance therefrom is a landing plaiform 46 which is supported in a forwardly inclined position by means of uprights 47, which are pivotally secured at their upper ends to the sides of the platform and have their lower ends secured on a rocking-bar 18, the ends of which are journaled in suitable bearings 49 so as to afford a rocking or pivotal movement to said bar. The uprights 47 are connected to the platform 16 at any suitable distance from its rear end and it will be understood that the front end of said platform will extend to the ground or floor on which the structure is erected. The rear end of the platform 46 is supported on a cross-bar 50 which is loosely connected by means of links 51 at each of its ends to beams 52 which are pivotally mounted on uprights 53 on each side of the platform.

As shown, the beams 52 extend longitudi nally with respect to the ilatform and chute and have connected to t ieir rear ends the upper ends of springs 54,.the lower ends of which are secured to a portion of the sup porting frame of the platform. cured at its upper end to each of the beams 52 near its rear end is a domrmrrdly extending bar 55 which. has its lower ends beveled or pointed as shown in Fig. 7 to engage the teeth of a rack-bar 56 one of which. is secured on a brace 57 of the supporting frame for the platform, located on each side thereof or directly under the beams.

Secured at one of its ends to each of the bars 55 near its lower end is a rope or cable Pivotally se ill) employed to prevent the rebound of the movable section as well as injury to the parts of the operating mechanism therefor; 7

From the foregoing and by reference to the drawings it will be clearly understood and readily seen that when the parts are placed in the positions shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 7 of the drawings, the movable section or trap 27 will be held in its elevated position by reason of the s rin s 40, the tension of which may be regu ate through the instrumentality of the block and tackle 4 :2, or otherwise.

When in the above named positions,the

rider of the bicycle or operator of the other vehicle may mount the machinefronr the brackets or small platform 2, or otherwise at the upper portion of the chuteil when the same will descend on the chute rapidly and will pass over the leaf or door 24 and on to the movable section or trap 27 in which operation it is a parent that the weight of tie vehicle will dc ress the leaf orjdoor 24 from the position s own inlFigst 1 and 2 to that shown by dotted lines in Fig. 6 of the drawing, thus causing the lever 28 to depress the arm 32, the projection 35 on which will cause the trigger to be disengaged from the roller or portion 37, thus allowing the springs 40 'to exert themselves in which operation the bell-crank levers 21 will be caused to turn on the shaft 29, thus throwing the uprights 17 by reason of the toothed racks on said uprights and levers rearwardly so as to permit the movable section or trap and the operating mechanism therefor to assume about the positions shown by continuous lines in Fig. 6 of the drawings.

As the vehicle passes down the inclined chute l1 and over the curved portion 13, it

is evident that the momentum acquiredwill' cause the machine to arise from the front portion of the main partof. the chute, with a tendency in its pro ress todescribe an arc, corresponding with tiat of the curved portion of the chute. As the vehicle passes over the parts 24 and 27 it is manifest that the latter portion will drop out of the way of the rear wheel or wheels thereof, thus'permitting the'vehicle and rider or operator to turn a backward somersault across the saace between the movable section 27 and p atform 46 and to land on said platform which by reason of the peculiar and novel construction of its support as above de scribed will yield and prevent rebound.

,When the vehicle shall have landed on the platform 46 it is obvious that said platform will be depressed and the beams 52 tilted so as to raise the rear ends in which operation the bars 55 will be raised on the rack bars 56 and engage the teeth thereof thus holdin' the rear ends of the beams in their raise positions and the platform in its lowered position.

It is obvious from the above description of our improved amusement apparatus that the device is susceptible of considerable modifications without material departure from the principles and spirit of the invention and for this reason we do not desire to be understood as limiting ourselves to the precise form and arrangement of the several parts of the apparatus as herein set forth in carrying out our invention in practice.

. Having thus fully described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is 1. An amusement apparatus consisting of lease and permit the said section to drop downwardly out of the path of the vehicle.

2, In an amusement apparatus, the combination with a landing-platform, of a longitudinally extending and spring-actuated beam pivotally supported at each side of the rear portion of the platform, a cross-bar connected to the front portions of said beams, a rack-bar located below the rear portion of each of said beams, and a pawl pivoted at its upper end to each of the beams and adapted to engage the rack-bar at its other end.

3. In an amusement apparatus, the oombination with a landing-platform, of a longitudinally extending and spring-actuated beam pivotally supported near one end of said platform, means connecting the platformand said beam, a rack-bar located below the beam, and a pawl pivoted at its upper portion to said beam and carried thereby and adapted to engage the rack-bar at its lower en 4. In an amusement apparatus, the combination with an inclined way having its pivotally secured to the sides thereof at their upper ends and pivotally supported at their lower ends, a longitudinally extending and lower portion upwardly curved, of a movable f section pivotally mounted at-the front por tion thereof, a pivoted iniright located at each side of the movable section near its portion of the front part of the movable section, a belleranl -lever mounted on each end of said shaft and adapted to engage the upper ends of said uprights and having a transverse connection uniting their upper members, a door hinged at one of its edges to the front part of the Way and above the movable section and having a downward extension, an arm pivoted at one of its ends on said shaft and extended rearwardly under the n'iovable section and having a downward projection, a lever pivoted at its rear end on the front portion of the Way and adapted to engage at its and having at its rear portion a transverse part, a trigger loosely mounted on said bracket and adapted to engage means on the extension on said shaft, and a spring; connected at one of its ends to said bracket and at its other end to sini'poriing frame of the way.

7. An amusement apparatus consisting; of an inclined way having its lower part np- \Vfl-ltlljf curved, a movable section pim tall mounted at its rear portion at the front part of said way and normally adapted to form the terminal of the npwardlv curved part of the inclined .Yav n eans to snnnort said sov- I a 7 l I front end, a shalt )onrnaled across the lower I other end the rear end of said arm, a rear- Ward extension rigidly mounted on said shaft,

a downwardly and rearwardly extended bracket mounted on the eonneetlon uniting the upper members of the bell-crank-levers tion in. s1Lbstantially the same are as that of the curved part of the Way, and means to release and permit the section to drop out of the path of the vehicle.

8. An amusement apparatts consisting of an inclined \ra having its lower part upwardly curved, a n'iovahle section nvotall y mounted at its rear portion at the front part of said way and normally adapted to form the terminal of the upwardly curved part of the inclined Way, means to support said si tion in its raised i osition, and means to drop the same while it supports a part of the Weight of the vehicle.

RICHARD 'ilOSShllili. JOHN ltllhlli. Yhitnesses:

CHAS. (l. TILLMAN, H. A. NYMAN. 

